Volume 9, Number 1
Feb 1985

New Preservation Posters

by Myra Jo Moon

In the last few years, consciousness of the need to preserve
their deteriorating collections, libraries have begun to educate and
inform library users about care of materials. The Illinois
Cooperative Conservation Program, through Southern Illinois
University at Carbondale has produced two poster sets, "Save a Book"
and "Use and Enjoy but Don't Destroy," Which have had wide
distribution as educational tools. The University of Texas has a
very attractive poster informing users about the damage food and
drink do to library materials. There is now a new set of posters
available from Jon Kennedy Cartoons. Mr. Kennedy, who is an
editorial cartoonist for the Arkansas Democrat,
produces cartoon posters directed toward educational institutions as
a sideline business.

His earlier work included poster sets about libraries called
"Library Can be Beautiful" and "Light up Your Life--Read!" I
noticed, in an illustrated article in Cartoonist
Profiles about Mr. Kennedy and his work, two cartoon posters
from his "Your Manners Are Showing" set that seemed particularly
appropriate for libraries. One of the posters showed students
throwing cans and wrappers on the floor rather than putting them in
a large visible trash container, and the other showed one buy in the
library marking and cutting a book. I wrote to Mr. Kennedy to order
the posters and at the same time suggested topics for preservation
of library materials if he were inclined to use the theme. He
thanked me for the suggestion and said when he did such posters he
would send me a set. Nearly a year later, the posters came. The
title of the nine posters is "Listen to Your Books." They are
printed on heavy paper, size 11" x 14", in two colors. The posters,
as the flyer says, are intended to "focus your student's attention
on abuses that show disrespect and thoughtlessness for library
materials." the posters are suitable for elementary through senior
high level--and this is where library education ideally begins--but
their clever approach to such problems as food and drink, the
dog-chewed book, mutilation by cutting a picture from a book, or the
binding abuse caused by copy machines will help alert all library
users to take better care of books. The price is good, $9.50 for
nine posters, plus $1.00 for postage (order #56-K). Order from Jon
Kennedy Cartoons, 301 Donaghey Bldg., P0 Box 1488, Little Rook,
Arkansas 72203.